Porto Jofre is where the Transpantaneira stops, at a broad bend of the Cuiaba River deep in the Pantanal, and it is a place of a few lodges, a boat ramp and an enormous quantity of sky. There is no town, only a small cluster of buildings serving fishermen, naturalists and the occasional rider, and Poconé is a long way back, more than a hundred kilometres. You come here for a single reason: this stretch of river is one of the best places on Earth to see wild jaguars.
The big cats hunt along the banks, taking caimans, capybaras and fish, and the local boat guides know where to look. Boat trips leave early in the morning and in the afternoon, and sightings are frequent enough that the place has become world-famous among wildlife photographers. Take a trip, even if you are used to seeing animals from a bike seat; seeing a jaguar slide into the water to chase a caiman is not an experience you forget. Book through a lodge in advance in the busy season.
Fuel is a question to settle before you arrive. Meals and rooms are simple and fairly costly, because everything has to come down the dirt road. Mosquitoes can be fierce at dusk, so long sleeves are a better idea than clever sprays.
The river is a lifeline here, and the wet season changes everything. When the water rises, the plain becomes a lake with cattle on islands, and boat traffic replaces the road. In the dry season the river runs lower and the animals concentrate along its banks, making it the better time for spotting. At night the sky is clear and dark, with frogs singing and a smell of mud and water plants. The ride back is the same long dusty road, so give yourself a full day and leave at first light.